Unverified Voracity Busts Out Orbiting Panic Guy Comment Count

Brian

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also Panic Kornheiser Google Image Search

Dammit, dammit, dammit. You have probably heard that Amara Darboh has blown up something in his foot and is out for the year. This calls for the little panic guy.

panic

Michigan is not going to replace Darboh's combination of size and blocking and receiver expectations should be downgraded a notch. Judging from scrimmage highlights and practice buzz, Jehu Chesson or Joe Reynolds is the next man in. Hopefully it's Chesson, who has excellent upside; realistically both guys are going to split Darboh snaps.

Michigan may also turn to more plays on which Devin Funchess splits out. While Funchess doesn't have the same speed Darboh does he can duplicate some of the leapy-catchy Hemingway business Michigan just lost.

At least Darboh gets a redshirt.

Elsewhere in PANIC. Bad sign:

"More production" in this case probably means "fewer blown tackles/coverages." That's bad. What's more, the seemingly odd move of Courtney Avery back there signals that Michigan is scrambling at that spot. If it was a safety coming through another safety, fine. A 175-pound corner whose health is constantly in question triggers my alarm bells.

That's a death knell for Josh Furman, for one. While it's less of a negative sign for Jeremy Clark since he's just a year into the program, it would have been nice if he was able to play once Wilson faltered.

Feel better? George Campbell Whitfield, broom-wielding quarterback guru, on Devin Gardner:

“I was shocked,” Whitfield said. “I had only seen him in a couple cameos at Michigan. I was shocked at all the talent, how strong he was, how athletic, how fast.

“We worked on a lot of footwork ... weight transition, the ability to drop, put your foot in the ground, stop and work back into a play. That’s not always easy. ... We spent quite a bit of time on chaos training — what happens if two linemen got beat, halfway through drop, and I don’t have to pull rip cord or I’m getting chased to left sideline, I’m a right-handed quarterback, how do I make this throw?”

Gardner's main issue is accuracy—too many times last year he missed on simple throws because of erratic mechanics. Hopefully an offseason of ownership sees him make serious progress there.

[after THE JUMP: pudding pops, Bartlestein on the shot, and advice for freshmen.]

HE KNEW. Joe Reynolds on the suddenly slightly-relevant freshmen wideouts:

With a spot on the outside now open, Jaron Dukes may shed his redshirt.

Puddin' pops will make you feel better. I don't want this for 140 dollars, but I want it:

$(KGrHqV,!nsFG0oY-SNnBR3StK( 3Q~~60_3[1]

Rudy. Theoooo.

CTK. James Ross is up:



Countdown to Kickoff 2013: Day 11 - James Ross III by mgovideo

There is also Jack Miller.

The Purdue thing. It was, and then was not, and then was rescued. Be careful. Watching this video will cause seizures in people who have not played at least 100 hours of Civilization in their lives.

Advice for freshmen. All of this post is accurate, but none more so than this one:

At some point, Michigan will feel really fucking huge. Then you’ll see that one kid who always wears shorts and sandals, and you’ll think, “How do I always see that one dude? How many people are on this campus, twelve? Jesus.”

For me it was Indian Guy With Neon Backpack, who followed me around for two straight years. He managed to do so by walking in front of me. IGWNB was a genius and is probably inventing nuclear physics right now.

My advice: don't stop doing all that extracurricular crap. Stop doing the stuff you only did to put on a college application*, but the thing you actually liked? Keep doing that.

*[I still get twitchy about the worst idea I ever had: "teach eighth graders Sunday School." Eighth graders are evil. At the end of this massively failed experiment the little old lady in the room next to me challenged us to a bible quiz. My "students", a collection of derelict spastics, knew nothing. Hers had memorized the entire canon. Little old ladies are also evil.]

Bartlestein on the shot. You know how Josh Bartlestein starts blowing up on the bench before the shot even goes in? About that:

Everyone wants to know how I knew it was going in. It all starts at Bud Walton Arena (against Arkansas) two years ago, we’re down maybe 20-2 and we come back to have a shot to win at the buzzer, and Trey’s shot goes in and out. And as we’re walking to the bus, Zack and Stu and I are talking to Trey and we say, ‘Before this is over, you’re going to make a much more important game-winning shot. It would have been nice to beat Arkansas, but you’re going to make one when it matter way more.’ Then we go to Ohio State this year. We’re 16-0. Trey’s 3-pointer goes in and out. ‘Trey, you’ll make this shot when it’s way more important.’ Against Wisconsin, score is tied in overtime, ‘Trey you’ll make a shot when it’s more important, trust me.’ Then we get to Indiana, and the ball rolls out. ‘Trey, you’ll make a shot that’s more important.’ And by this point, Trey had become an iconic figure in college basketball and Michigan basketball.

So when Kansas missed that free throw and Trey had the ball, I told Matt and Blake, who were sitting next to me, ‘I would bet my life he will make this three.’ Now, if I had known he was going to shoot it from half-court, I might not have bet my life. But when he pulled up — I knew this kid had done everything imaginable for a college basketball player, and he just needed that one iconic shot, the Trey Burke Shot. And that was it. As soon as he pulled up, I knew it was going in so I jumped up. And he made me look really smart because he made it.

Much more at the link.

Alvarez, just say it. I know you're trying to say it. So just say it:

"I've got to tell you," said athletics director and longtime Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez, who groomed Bielema to be his replacement, "and I'm not saying this negatively because Bret did a good job for us, but I haven't had one person say, 'Well, it's too bad Bret left' or 'We were sorry to see Bret leave' or 'Couldn't you have paid the assistants more money to keep him?' Not one."

I need you to call Bielema a meathead. I need this, Barry Alvarez.

Does he occupy an entire Bursley-Baits? The softer side of Kyle Kalis is still a bucket of knives… but there's Schubert playing. He's in the art school, and take it from someone who rode the bus to North Campus daily: that is not the demographic center of the art school. (The demographic center of the art school is a girl who is disgusted to be within 50 feet of you, because you are an engineer.)

Basketball recruiting bits. Power forwards: Michigan is getting one this year. 2014 PF DJ Wilson is a candidate, albeit likely a Plan B sort since he's a consensus three star and Michigan is still after a number of big fish. He plans a visit October 4th. Michigan is also after 4.5 star Devin Robinson, who is not actually Denard Robinson sitting on Devin Gardner's shoulders.

Meanwhile, IN SF Trevon Bluiett will visit UCLA August 31st and hit Michigan up the week after for the ND game. UCLA is a rising name in his recruitment since they hired one of Bluiett's old coaches, but can you really meet Steve Alford and John Beilein and pick the former?

Etc.: A playlist for the 2013 season. CUSA puts a bowl in the Bahamas.

Comments

zlionsfan

August 21st, 2013 at 1:37 PM ^

is that people who haven't gone to one seem to have this idea that every day, everyone on campus runs around in random directions all the time, so you can't possibly see anyone more than once, because OMG TENZ OF THOUSANDZ OF PEEPUL OMG. (The best is when they now live in NYC or San Francisco or Chicago and can tell you about how they always run into this one couple on the way home from work. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.)

But when you consider only the people that have classes at the same time on a particular day, and then only the people that actually get up and go to those classes, and then only the people who are heading to class in the same direction, from the same direction, suddenly it's not such a big group after all.

Exactly how this works probably differs a bit depending on how campus is laid out - at Purdue, campus was/is basically one area, so even if you live off-campus, you're going to head in basically the same direction, so the group of Potentially Identifiable People is larger. If your destinations are spread out more, you're looking at even smaller groups, probably to the point where you can look out your window and see Hat Guy going by and think "crap, he's the last guy on time to class, I'm late".

mgobaran

August 21st, 2013 at 1:39 PM ^

Bartlestein on "the Trey" was pretty damn cool. What a f**king captain man, keeping his all-star's head on straight like that. Not that Burke (probably) needed it, but damn. True faith in his guy right there.

Chills for days.

M-Wolverine

August 21st, 2013 at 9:36 PM ^

From Amazin' Blue all the way to 58 Greene. But in the Midwest competitions the only one I saw that was better was Indiana's Straight No Chaser. They would pull a Tom Harmon and getting a standing O here.

buckeyekiller1

August 21st, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^

1. Those are the most attractive girls they could find to put in the video? Makes me proud to be an IU alum.
2. "You know Purdue is the bomb!" No. No, I certainly do not. And using a saying that hasn't really been popular since the early 90's as a hook is sure to make a rap awesome!

I rarely ever comment but this was so bad I couldn't help myself.

The news about Darboh is upsetting, but the sky isn't falling. I think we'll be fine with Gallon as the clear 1. Throw in more of Funchess, Dileo, and one other person to be named later and we'll be just fine. Our year all depends on how good the line is anyway. If they're maulers up front then we'll get to 10+ wins and if not we're looking at 8-10.

charblue.

August 21st, 2013 at 1:59 PM ^

And his ability to redshirt and play with Chesson as twin wideouts is the best way to see his departure from the lineup and roster this season. But in terms of actual production, what did Michigan actually lose except the idea of a projected talent who never caught a single pass last year. You can agonize over the loss of prospect and possibility, but that's all Darboh is until he demonstrates he can play. 

I mean Michigan was more strapped at wideout a year ago, hence why Gardner played the position before moving to qb out of necessity after the Nebraska game. So, this loss creates opportunity and gives guys like Dileo and Reynolds more looks. I remember when Forcier was throwing to the likes of Greg Mathews, Savoy and Martavious Odoms in the game-winning drive with time winding down against Notre Dame in RichRod's second season. Not exactly the most dynamic outside weapons in Michigan history. Yet they managed to get the job done. 

True Blue Grit

August 21st, 2013 at 2:01 PM ^

for now - and assume he just needs a kick in the butt and this was Hoke's way of getting him where he needs to be.  I'll start to panic a bit more if I see Wilson not out there on D against CMU.  We've been spoiled by having Kovacs  for the last 3 years, and this just shows that safety is not an easy position for some people to learn quickly.  Furman should be the starter you'd think based on his athletic ability and how long he's been here.  But, he probably just doesn't "get" how to play the position without making a lot of big mistakes. 

Space Coyote

August 21st, 2013 at 2:01 PM ^

I'm just going to assume anyone that says "Devin Robinson" means to type "Devin Robinson (sp?)" and they really mean that it's the rebirth of "David Robinson, future Michigan basketball player guy".

Also, that article was dead-on. Really impressive really. I think I knew at least one person (including myself in some instances) that each point describes. Impressive work by that writer.

uminks

August 21st, 2013 at 2:25 PM ^

I'm feeling deflated heading into the season. Many trouble spots are developing with the team but it is still early in Hoke's coaching career. So we may not win 9 or 10 games this season but I bet the team is much better by the end of the season. More realistic expectations is another 8 win season, though I'm starting to get a sinking feeling our win total this season may only be 6 or 7 wins. (losses to ND, MSU, NE, PSU, NU and OSU may occur). I think in a couple more years we will be a perennial 10 or more wins per season team.

uminks

August 21st, 2013 at 10:39 PM ^

Even if we have another 8 win season, Hoke's recruiting plus his coaching and those of his staff will have this team competing for a NC in a few years. Our problem this year is we have a lot of talented youth without the experience. I think an 8 win season will be right on target.

BlueBarron

August 21st, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^

"(The demographic center of the art school is a girl who is disgusted to be within 50 feet of you, because you are an engineer.)"



STOP REMINDING ME THESE THINGS.

WolvinLA2

August 21st, 2013 at 4:45 PM ^

I agree with you on both points. Art school girls often suffered from the same things as the chicks who worked at Shaman Drum, that being their inability to find their armpits with a razor.

To expand on your last sentence, for my money there were no better girls on campus than the musical theater girls. I, ahem, spent some time with them and it was some of my best on campus. Plus I knew all the words to Rent, which was like a silver bullet circa 2002.

Njia

August 21st, 2013 at 4:46 PM ^

Those art students thought nothing about parading around naked (or seeing others do it); so there's that, assuming you can deal with them not being on speaking terms with sharp objects like razors ... It's all in the balance of puts and takes. 

readyourguard

August 21st, 2013 at 2:40 PM ^

Losing Darboh for the season is like your parents returning a gift they just bought you for this year's Christmas.  You can't be upset because, hell, you never knew you had it.

Based on the interview and some of the scrimmage/practice video, it seems like Jack Miller puts an awful lot of pressure on himself.  I hope he can relax and just go play.

 

 

Brandon_L

August 21st, 2013 at 3:05 PM ^

The talent level Michigan has recruited under Hoke far exceeds that of other BIg teams with the exception of Ohio. Competition is brewing and I believe the staff is challenging the team to compete at the highest level. Like I said in an earlier thread, fall camp will continue through the central game and end the week of the notre Dame game.

TheGhostofChappuis

August 21st, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^

It's a little hard to read some of the news coming out of Schembechler and not adjust expectations downward.